1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to feed containers. More particularly, it concerns a mountable livestock feed container having a slidable cover lid and creep feeder cage.
2. The Background Art
The livestock industry has sought the development of efficient feeding devices and methods. In particular, calves, horses and other livestock have been fed pellets, grains and hay in conventional dry feeding buckets, and liquids such as milk or water in conventional wet feeding buckets.
There is a need in the field of livestock feed buckets to selectively restrict access to the contained feed to young animals only, or to restrict access to the feed by all animals, with a minimum of time and effort. Resiliency of the feed container to bunting motions by livestock is also needed. Prior art feed containers are rigid in material and in attachment to their support structure. Lids and creep feeder cages have been designed for restricting access to the feed but are either too easily bunted off by the livestock, or require too much time and effort to secure.
There is also a need for convenient attachment and replacement structure to permit fast, efficient removal and replacement of the feed container. Many prior art feed containers are held in place by a rigid, circumscribing ring, or are nailed or wired to a support.
It is also common practice in the livestock industry to transport feed containers which contain feed. The feed can be jostled about and thrown from the containers during transport. It would be desirable to transport portable animal carriers without having to remove the feed from the containers or the containers from the carriers.
Unfortunately, the prior art feed buckets are characterized by a number of disadvantages. They are rigid in structure and are often rigidly secured to the wall of a stall, and thus insufficiently resilient to bunting. The container lid or creep feeder cage often cannot withstand bunting from the livestock and becomes knocked off.